Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Luke: Chapter 2]
man went to the town where his family register was kept.
2:5 {To enrol himself with Mary} (\apograpsasthai sun Mariam\).
Direct middle. "With Mary" is naturally taken with the infinitive
as here. If so, that means that Mary's family register was in
Bethlehem also and that she also belonged to the house of David.
It is possible to connect "with Mary" far back with "went up"
(\aneb•\) in verse 4, but it is unnatural to do so. There is no
real reason for doubting that Mary herself was a descendant of
David and that is the obvious way to understand Luke's genealogy
of Jesus in Lu 3:23-38). The Syriac Sinaitic expressly says
that both Joseph and Mary were of the house and city of David.
{Betrothed} (\emn•steumen•n\). Same verb as in 1:27, but here
it really means "married" or "espoused" as Mt 1:24f. shows.
Otherwise she could not have travelled with Joseph. {Great with
child} (\enku•i\). Only here in N.T. Common Greek word.
2:6 {That she should be delivered} (\tou tekein aut•n\). {For the
bearing the child as to her}. A neat use of the articular
infinitive, second aorist active, with the accusative of general
reference. From \tikt•\, common verb.
2:7 {Her firstborn} (\ton pr•totokon\). The expression naturally
means that she afterwards had other children and we read of
brothers and sisters of Jesus. There is not a particle of
evidence for the notion that Mary refused to bear other children
because she was the mother of the Messiah. {Wrapped in swaddling
clothes} (\espargan•sen\). From \sparganon\, a swathing band.
Only here and verse 12 in the N.T., but in Euripides,
Aristotle, Hippocrates, Plutarch. Frequent in medical works. {In
a manger} (\en phatn•i\). In a crib in a stall whether in a cave
(Justin Martyr) or connected with the inn we do not know. The
cattle may have been out on the hills or the donkeys used in
travelling may have been feeding in this stall or another near.
{In the inn} (\en t•i katalumati\). A lodging-house or khan, poor
enough at best, but there was not even room in this public place
because of the crowds for the census. See the word also in Lu
22:11; Mr 14:14 with the sense of guest-room (cf. 1Ki 1:13).
It is the Hellenistic equivalent for \katag•geion\ and appears
also in one papyrus. See Ex 4:24. There would sometimes be an
inner court, a range or arches, an open gallery round the four
sides. On one side of the square, outside the wall, would be
stables for the asses and camels, buffaloes and goats. Each man
had to carry his own food and bedding.
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